As a law student in your final year, you are probably wondering what the best career options are for you in the US legal market, which is one of the most dynamic and diverse in the world, with a market size of over $437 billion in 2023. You have worked hard to get good grades, gain practical experience, and network with professionals. But how do you land a coveted internship or job at one of the largest law firms in the United States? What are the skills, qualities, and qualifications that they look for in their candidates? And what are the benefits and challenges of working in such firms?
In this blog post, we will answer these questions and more as we rank and analyze the top 5 largest law firms in the United States. You will learn about their history, culture, performance, and reputation, as well as their main practice areas, clients, and cases. This post will help you make an informed decision about your future career path and prepare you for the competitive and rewarding world of law.
Here Are The Top Largest Law Firms in the United States:
- Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Latham & Watkins LLP
- Kirkland & Ellis LLP
- Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
Now let’s take a closer look at these popular law firms in the US.
1. Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
- Founder: James C. Sheppard, George R. Mullin, and Gordon F. Hampton
- Year of Foundation: 1927
- Headquarters: Los Angeles
- Number of attorneys: 296
- Firm Chair: Luca Salvi
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, one of the United States’ largest law firms, embodies a culture rooted in collegiality, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Additionally, it places a high value on diversity, pro bono work, and the professional growth of its attorneys and staff. With over 1,000 attorneys spread across 16 offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the firm adeptly handles corporate and technology matters, high-stakes litigation, and complex financial transactions for a wide-ranging clientele.
In 2020, the firm reported impressive financial performance. It achieved a revenue of $1.05 billion and a profit per equity partner of $2.6 million, marking an 11.4% revenue growth and a 14.8% increase in profits from the previous year. Sheppard, Mullin is recognized as an AmLaw 50 and Global 100 firm, garnering accolades from prominent legal publications such as Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Law360, U.S. News & World Report, and more. Its reputation is founded on its innovative, client-focused, and responsive approach.
Furthermore, Sheppard, Mullin offers a comprehensive range of practice areas, including antitrust and competition, corporate, intellectual property, litigation, and environmental law. The firm serves diverse industries, from aerospace & defense to healthcare and entertainment. Notable clients include tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, as well as corporate powerhouses like Bank of America, Chevron, and Walmart.
The firm’s portfolio includes handling high-profile cases. For instance, it represented Amazon in its acquisition of Whole Foods, Apple in patent litigation against Samsung, and AT&T in its acquisition of Time Warner. It has also represented industry leaders like Pfizer, Uber, and Verizon in complex legal proceedings, cementing its reputation as a go-to choice for top-tier corporations. Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is a legal powerhouse that combines a commitment to excellence, a passion for diversity, and unwavering dedication to its clients’ success.
2. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Founder: John Jay Gibson and James Crutcher
- Year of Foundation: 1890
- Headquarters: Los Angeles
- Number of attorneys: 295
- Firm Chair: Barbara Becker
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, one of the biggest law firms in the United States, is celebrated for its distinctive culture, fostering collaboration and innovation. Moreover, the firm places great emphasis on diversity, inclusion, pro bono work, and community service as core components of its mission and vision.
In terms of performance, they consistently rank among the world’s top law firms. In 2022, they reported $2.3 billion in revenue, $4.2 million in profit per equity partner, and an impressive 9.5% growth rate, earning accolades from respected publications and organizations.
Furthermore, they enjoy an outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality legal services across diverse practice areas, including litigation, corporate transactions, antitrust, appellate advocacy, and more. Additionally, the firm is particularly recognized for its work in areas like constitutional law, cybersecurity, and international arbitration.
With over 30 practice areas covering the breadth of business law, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP stands out for its comprehensive legal services. Their litigation practice, with over 800 lawyers, handles disputes at all levels, including antitrust, environmental litigation, and white-collar defense. Moreover, the corporate practice excels in areas like mergers and acquisitions, securities regulation, and technology transactions, serving clients in media, life sciences, and real estate.
In addition to its regulatory practice guides clients through complex global regulations, including administrative law and antitrust. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a prominent legal powerhouse, celebrated for its culture of excellence, stellar performance, and comprehensive legal services that cater to diverse client needs.
3. Latham & Watkins LLP
- Founder: Dana Latham and Paul Watkins
- Year of Foundation: 1934
- Headquarters: Los Angeles
- Number of attorneys: 274
- Firm Chair: Richard M. Trobman
Latham & Watkins LLP, one of the popular law firms in the US, is characterized by a collaborative and entrepreneurial culture that underscores innovation, excellence, and diversity among its lawyers and staff. Furthermore, this culture not only shapes their identity but also extends to pro bono work, community service, environmental sustainability, and well-being, which are integral parts of the firm’s mission and vision. Moreover, the firm’s commitment to these values sets it apart in the legal landscape.
In terms of performance, Latham & Watkins LLP has consistently held a prominent position among the world’s top law firms. In 2022, the firm reported a remarkable revenue of $4.6 billion, with a profit per equity partner standing at $5.7 million, demonstrating its financial prowess. Furthermore, their impressive growth rate of 11.5% further illustrates their exceptional trajectory. Additionally, numerous accolades from esteemed publications and organizations, including The American Lawyer, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Law360, Financial Times, and others, testify to the firm’s enduring excellence.
Latham & Watkins LLP has earned a stellar reputation for delivering high-quality legal services to clients across a wide spectrum of practice areas and industries. Their expertise shines in litigation, corporate transactions, finance, tax, antitrust, intellectual property, arbitration, white-collar defense, energy and infrastructure, technology, media and entertainment, health care, real estate, and environmental practices, solidifying their role as trusted legal partners in diverse fields.
With over 60 practice areas, the firm covers virtually every aspect of business law, making it a comprehensive legal resource. Notably, their litigation practice stands out as one of the largest and most successful in the world, exemplifying Latham & Watkins LLP’s commitment to providing top-tier legal services across an extensive range of areas, further cementing their position as one of the foremost law firms in the United States.
4. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
- Founder: Robert R. McCormick and Stuart G. Shepard.
- Year of Foundation: 1909
- Headquarters: Los Angeles
- Number of attorneys: 190
- Firm Chair: Jon A. Ballis
Kirkland & Ellis LLP, one of the largest US law firms, embraces diversity and encourages a culture that values its employees’ varied backgrounds and skills. Moreover, this culture fosters well-being and features an open assignment system, enabling attorneys to choose their practice areas, and promoting both entrepreneurship and collaboration.
In terms of performance, Kirkland & Ellis ranks as the world’s largest law firm by revenue and seventh in attorney count. Additionally, in 2018, it became the first law firm to exceed US$4 billion in revenue, with an average profit per equity partner of US$5.2 million in 2019.
Kirkland & Ellis has an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s leading law firms. Furthermore, it is recognized through various awards and accolades from prestigious publications and organizations. They are also renowned for their involvement in landmark cases and transactions, such as the Enron bankruptcy, BP oil spill litigation, the Teva-Allergan deal, the Kraft Heinz merger, and other legal milestones.
The firm excels in core practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, white-collar and government disputes, restructurings, and intellectual property. Additionally, they serve a wide range of sectors and industries.
Their diverse clientele includes Fortune 500 corporations and emerging businesses. Notable clients include Bain Capital, Blackstone Group, Boeing, Comcast, Delta Air Lines, General Motors, Google, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Pfizer, Starbucks, Tesla, Uber, Verizon, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and more.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s unique culture, exceptional performance, unmatched reputation, and diverse expertise make it a preeminent legal institution in the United States and worldwide.
5. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
- Founder: John B. Quinn, Eric J. Emanuel, Phyllis Kupferstein, and A. William Urquhart
- Year of Foundation: 1986
- Headquarters: Los Angeles
- Number of attorneys: 169
- Firm Chair: John B. Quinn
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, one of the largest law firms in the United States, boasts a culture rooted in excellence, innovation, teamwork, and unwavering client service. Furthermore, this culture thrives alongside a flexible work-from-anywhere policy, granting each attorney the freedom to choose their ideal work setting.
In terms of performance, it stands as the world’s leading firm exclusively dedicated to business litigation and arbitration. Notably, with an impressive 88% success rate in trials and a remarkable 90% in appeals, it exudes legal prowess. Financially robust, the firm achieved an average profit per equity partner of US$5.8 million in 2019.
Renowned for its sterling reputation, Quinn Emanuel is consistently celebrated as one of the world’s premier and most prestigious law firms. It has garnered accolades and rankings from esteemed publications and organizations, including The American Lawyer, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Law360, and the Financial Times. Its involvement in landmark cases and transactions, such as the Apple v. Samsung patent litigation, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the Madoff fraud recovery, and the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, further cements its legacy.
Their core practice areas encompass antitrust and competition, appellate, bankruptcy and restructuring, class action, intellectual property, international arbitration, investigations, white-collar defense, and securities litigation and enforcement, among others. Notably, this wide-ranging expertise spans sectors like technology, automotive, banking and finance, energy, healthcare, media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, real estate, sports, and telecommunications.
Catering to a global clientele, the firm serves a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 giants to emerging businesses and individuals. Notable names like Apple, Google, Samsung, Facebook, Netflix, Uber, Tesla, Pfizer, Chevron, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, SoftBank Group Corp., and The Walt Disney Company entrust Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP with their legal matters, reaffirming its standing as a legal powerhouse in the US.
Conclusion
Choosing the best law firm for your career is not an easy decision. First, you have to consider many factors, such as your interests, skills, goals, values, and expectations. Additionally, you also have to be prepared for the high standards and demands that these firms have for their candidates and employees. However, if you are passionate about law and willing to work hard, you can achieve your dream of working for one of the top law firms in the US.
In this blog post, we have ranked and analyzed the top 5 largest law firms in the US. Furthermore, we have also given you some information about them. We hope this post has helped you learn more about the US legal market and the giants in it. So, based on this, what do you think about the top 5 biggest law firms in the US? Which one would you like to work for, and why?
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